Growth @ Scale Growth@Scale

Lindsey Dillon is the Vice President of Marketing at Harness, a fintech platform empowering consumers to align their spending with their personal values. Previously, she held a leadership role at Cash App, where she led post-acquisition growth initiatives. Lindsey also has worked on product marketing campaigns for companies like StubHub and Lyft.
In this episode, Matt and Lindsey discuss staffing a product marketing team built for success, how to craft a meticulous, customer-first product launch approach, and the critical role of customer feedback across every stage of development.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding Your Audience: Deep audience research and competitive analysis are fundamental for successful product positioning
Leveraging Customer Feedback: Keeping customers engaged at every stage of product development ensures alignment with customer needs and encourages product-market fit
Leading by Example: Build a culture of stewardship, empathy, and hands-on leadership to maximize team success and innovation
Humanizing Remote Work: Stronger personal connections and a supportive work culture are essential for team productivity
Chapters:
0:00        Harnessing fintech for impactful consumer spending
4:43        Strategies for effective product launches in saturated markets
15:24       Incorporating customer feedback throughout the product lifecycle
19:03       Challenges of customer feedback and product development
20:54      Customer-centric product development and Iterative launch strategies
26:51       Leadership, culture, and setting aggressive goals in team management
32:50      Fostering creativity and innovation in marketing teams
38:23      The power of ‘Yes If’ and ‘I Wonder’ in team dynamics
44:33      Navigating team dynamics during acquisitions
50:22      The importance of humanization and face-to-face interaction in remote work
54:47      The ritual of ‘potato negotiations’ and social interactions
56:35      The Importance of Small Talk in Workplace Meetings
59:15       Conclusion and closing remarks
 
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Brendan Bilko is the founder of Robin, a studio dedicated to reimagining sports through brand building and product development. His experience includes time as Entrepreneur in Residence at Lisi and Elysian Park Ventures. He is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Dexter, as well as co-founder of the creative agency May Day, where he worked with brands like Levi's, Cadillac, Red Bull, and Comedy Central.
 
In this episode, Matt and Brendan share insights on  how to build and maintain a successful brand strategy, sustain brand impact as you scale, and why focusing on authenticity and consistency in this process is crucial. 
 
Key Takeaways:
Don’t Chase the Competition: Instead of copying successful competitors, focus on what makes your brand unique and true to its core values
Authenticity is Key: Being genuine in your brand messaging fosters trust and loyalty among customers
Consistency and Simplicity: From logo design to messaging, maintain consistent branding to ensure your audience easily recognizes and relates to your brand. Simple, clear branding often leads to better recognition and engagement
Have a Brand Champion: Ensure there's a dedicated person internally to help you maintain and enforce brand standards.
 
(0:01)           Brendan's path from creative agency to sports  branding
(4:05)          Key elements of successful sports branding
(7:23)           Navigating brand consistency and authenticity in marketing
(15:07)        Challenges of naming a company and The Google Mistake
(16:27)         Brand consistency and unexpected product lines
(22:04)       Defining & maintaining brand identity in growing companies
(27:59)        The power of support in transforming a startup's mission
(32:33)       The importance of simplicity in early-stage branding
(37:01)        Brand champions ensure consistent branding
(42:14)        Tubi's playful rebrand and massive subscriber growth
(46:41 )      Staying true to your brand and avoiding distractions
(49:33)      Conclusion and closing remarks
 
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Kimberly Corbett  is a large-scale marketing development and analytics solutions expert who has worked for some of the top gaming franchises in the world. Her past experiences include roles at Warner Brothers Games, Zynga, and Kabam. She is currently the Chief Publishing Officer at Fortis Games.
In this episode, Matt and Kimberly discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration, how gaming companies can leverage AI to stay ahead, and the challenges and opportunities of the modern gaming market, particularly user acquisition and the balance between paid and organic growth strategies. 
Key Takeaways:
The Future of Gaming: AI is transforming the gaming industry and helping companies launch more sophisticated and efficient gaming experiences
Encouraging Cross-Functional Collaboration: Success in scaling a product lies heavily in nurturing cross-functional teams with aligned incentives and goals to drive a high-growth culture
Balancing Organic and Paid Growth: Overemphasis on achieving virality can become a trap… instead, focus on creating a great product and balancing organic and paid strategies will become more sustainable
 
Chapters:
 
(0:01)        Scaling video games and user acquisition strategies
(2:27)         AI's impact on game development and publishing
(5:19)          Adopting AI: the competitive edge in gaming
(10:16)        Nurturing cross-functional collaboration and innovation in startups
(16:35)       Learning from failure to achieve success in business
(19:29)       The non-linear and chaotic nature of game development
(23:56)      The serious business behind the gaming industry
(28:29)      Balancing organic growth and paid marketing in early stage startups
(31:46)       Choosing the right analytics tools for user data
(34:11)         The challenges of data management in rapidly growing companies
(35:18)        Balancing data savvy and brand focus in modern marketing
(41:24)        Qualities to look for when hiring and scaling teams
(46:47)       Conclusion and closing remarks
 
Link to Transcript
 

Josh Lu is a product executive and  partner at a16z Games, investing in Series C - B companies. He is also the General Manager at SPEEDRUN, their gaming accelerator. During  his time at Zynga, he led product and growth teams, steering titles like Words With Friends to unprecedented success. He has also worked as VP, Commercial Leader at Blizzard Entertainment, and Director of Product Management for Horizon Worlds at Meta.
 
In this episode, Matt and Josh discuss viral gaming strategy, the importance of building cross-functional collaboration among teams, and where the future and evolution of and AI/hybridization in mobile gaming is headed in the coming years. 
Key Takeaways:
Unified Goals and Cross-functional Collaboration: Discussing the importance of setting shared goals across product, marketing, and growth teams to ensure cohesive effort and maximize impact
Teaching and Understanding Different Functions: Effective growth requires every team members understand each other's roles to build mutual understanding and drive collective success
AI in Gaming: The evolving role of AI in gaming, from reducing production costs to enhancing personalization and user experience
Importance of Startup Team Building: For early-stage gaming startups, the capabilities, vision, and conviction of the founding team are critical factors for investment
The Future of Mobile Gaming: Emphasizing the continued potential for innovation and massive success within the mature yet dynamic mobile gaming market


Chapters
(0:01) Joshua Lu's experience in the gaming industry
(3:50) Gaming culture and family traditions
(5:44) The evolution of growth in business over the last decade
(9:44) Cross-functional collaboration and overcoming siloed teams
(12:40) Transitioning Blizzard to mobile gaming culture
(13:59) Building cross-functional collaboration for product success
(18:03) The importance of strategic planning and goal setting
(21:24) How centralized PM function enhances collaboration in gaming studios
(25:22) The high-stakes world of free-to-play mobile games
(28:52) The evolution and future of mobile gaming
(36:38) The importance of early adoption in technological advancements
(37:47) Key criteria for investing in early stage gaming startups
(42:04) Advantages of non-gaming backgrounds in mobile game development
(42:39) Breaking rules to create something new
(44:03) Final thoughts/Last piece of advice
(45:00) Conclusion and closing remarks
 
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Eric Seufert is an analyst and expert in mobile development, tech marketing, and data analysis. Eric is General Partner at Heracles Capital, a pre-seed stage venture capital fund investing in the future of mobile tech. Eric has also worked at notable consumer  mobile tech companies including Skype, Wooga, and Rovio Entertainment, where he was the VP of User Acquisition for the developer behind the popular Angry Birds franchise.
 
In this episode, Matt and Eric dig into  Eric’s career in mobile tech startups, including the benefits of a ‘freemium’ model, strategies for launching mobile apps successfully, and where the future of mobile tech investments is headed.
 
Key Takeaways:
Core product experience should be complete and universal, even at the freemium price point. In order for this to occur, founders should leverage techniques that engage both new and existing users to monetize effectively
User acquisition is not just about growth… It is an opportunity for discrete product testing to improve and iterate based on real user data
The mobile tech industry’s shift towards web-based storefronts driven by privacy regulations has opened  new opportunities for mobile tech experimentation and personalization
When constructing your team, select candidates highly skilled in monetization and user experience based on prior startup successes

Chapters
(0:02)  Eric Seufert's journey in mobile tech and venture capital
(3:25)   Freemium economics and strategies for startup growth and retention
(5:56)  The economics and ethics of free-to-play gaming
(8:14)  The evolution and dominance of freemium models in mobile apps
(12:42)  Generative AI Enables Total Personalization in User Experience
(13:15)  Maximizing value and engagement in freemium business models
(17:57)  The pitfalls of viral app launches and sustainable growth
(22:28) The slow, iterative process of launching a consumer app
(27:25)  The Growth Trap: balancing organic and paid user acquisition
(32:10) Optimizing product success through flexible data analytics
(38:11)  Balancing needs of new and old users in product growth
(42:49) Key criteria for investing in mobile startups
(48:28) The future of mobile engagement and web-based monetization
(52:10 ) Conclusion and closing remarks

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Joe Delfino is the VP of Identity and Cloud Partnerships at ComScore. Besides  selling programmatic ads to gaming companies and  working in mobile programmatic. Joe’s expertise also includes traditional and programmatic ad media.
In this episode, Matt and Joe discuss the evolution and future of programmatic advertising media, and the relationship between traditional media, C TV, linear TV, and streaming platforms in the digital age. 
Key Takeaways:
Linear TV, CTV, and streaming platforms each have unique advantages and are converging in terms of audience targeting and measurement 
Performance advertisers are increasingly looking to TV due for better data-driven opportunities.
Creative innovation is crucial for TV advertisers, where platforms like Netflix are leading the way  by integrating ad units that interact with content and drive viewer response
 
Chapters:
(0:01) Discussing Joe’s career in tech and media
(3:47) Misconceptions and origins of Publishers Clearing House
(4:35) Audience engagement insights: from mail to apps
(5:49) Transitioning from mobile to broad media measurement at ComScore
(11:12) Evolving strategies in cross-screen media advertising
(19:28) Strategizing media spending for large-scale advertisers
(20:28) Understanding traditional TV and streaming ad buys
(26:14) Discussing a hilariously bad local lawyer ad
(27:31) Revitalization and Importance of local broadcasting
(32:22) Local advertising dynamics and pricing strategies
(34:51) Innovations in programmatic ad insertions for TV broadcasts
(37:06) Television ad buying and pricing strategies
(39:26) Discussing TV advertising's accessibility and measurability for businesses
(44:57) Advertising's emotional pull and digital precision in consumer Influence
(49:10) Innovative advertising blends TV and digital marketing strategies
(53:01) Innovative advertising strategies in the digital age
(54:40) Leveraging nostalgia in modern advertising strategies
(59:53) Strategies for localized advertising in national campaigns
(1:05:23) Innovations and future predictions in local and TV advertising
(1:09:48) Antitrust concerns and media debate dynamics
(1:10:34) Conclusion and closing remarks
 
Link to Transcript